There
are all kinds of art teachers: some are hobbyists, some are full time
teachers whose focus is on teaching, and not on producing. And then,
there are active artists who give to their students some of their
experience and hard earned knowledge. All have something to share. I
belong to the latter category; I paint daily. I sell my work through
galleries; I compete in national and plein air competitions and I teach
classes.
What
this means for you, the student, is not only do you receive instruction
in basic techniques and materials, but also I'm able to provide input
on the latest trends and what's happening in galleries, the plein air
world, and in the international watermedia world today.
Nothing
pleases me more than when a student reaches the level where she (or he)
is able to begin painting the way they always hoped they could. I
consider the ability to teach to be a gift, and this is a gift I try to
make time for.
My
process is helped by many years of teaching and decades of experience
working as a professional. My credentials include over 40 awards
throughout the years, along with signature memberships earned from the
Virginia Watercolor Society, Baltimore Watercolor Society, Missouri
Watercolor Society, Western Colorado Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania
Watercolor Society, the Southern Watercolor Society and Potomac Valley
Watercolor Society.
Adding
to my credentials, during 2014 I've had paintings accepted in the
Georgia National Watercolor Exhibition ( award), the Rockies West
National Exhibit, the Mississippi National Exhibit (award), the 5th
Annual Signature American Watercolor Exhibit in Fallbrook, CA, the
Virginia Watercolor Annual Exhibition and the Missouri National
Watercolor Exhibition.
I'll be featured in the new Artistic Touch 6
collection of watercolor paintings and that book should be out in a few
weeks. I hope to have a few books available for purchase. Among
publications I've been featured in are: SPLASH 12, SPLASH 14, Artistic Touch 5, The Washington Post, Plein Air Magazine (twice so far), Elan' (four times), and American Artist Magazine.
I'm honored and grateful to be able to present to you the best material and critiques that I can offer.
CLASSES AT THE COOLEY GALLERY
This June, I'll be teaching a "short course" at the Cooley Gallery
on King Street in Leesburg, VA, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 2014 on Mondays from
1 pm until 4 pm. Register online. We'll be focusing on the fruits of
summer: and those juicy green landscapes. Expect to receive a lot of
personal attention in this class.
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If you seek classes this fall, try the Cooley Gallery for a six week class on Monday, 1 pm until 4, September 15 - October 20, 2014.
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SATURDAYS at ArtSpace
in Herndon, VA. I'm offering another "Short Course" of four weeks of
watercolor painting on July 26, August 2, 9 and 16, from 1:30 until 4:30
pm. We may fit some plein air into this course.
Fall classes at ArtSpace
in Herndon, VA . My new 8 week course of classes will begin on
Saturday, September 27, 2014. Two classes each Saturday will be offered:
the morning class is 10 am until 12:30 pm and the afternoon class is
1:30 until 4:30 pm. This longer session ends on November 22, 2014.
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Have you been on the Western Loudoun Artists Studio Tour?
This year, the tour features over 60 (yes, that's a lot) artists
sharing their talent, their studios, their homes - with you..... You'll
have access to wonderful art centers, little galleries and studios that
are hidden jewels among the hills, mountains and fields of historic and
beautiful western Loudoun County, VA. The tour is Saturday and Sunday,
June 21 and 22, 2014.
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MAY
I ASK YOU TO BE AN AMBASSADOR of our mutual medium: watercolor paint?
Collectors and students are still confused about the durability of
watercolor paints. Plein Air events only select 2-3 watercolor painters
because of questions about the lightfastness of our work. Galleries
dislike carrying watercolors, partly for this reason. I want to educate
consumers about how quality and durability have evolved with time.
Watercolor paints during the 19th century were known as "fugitive," but
in the 21st century, reputable companies test paints for permanence.
Here's a definition from Wikipedia: Watercolors, Paint Lightfastness.
"Lightfastness is the ability of a pigment to retain its original color
appearance under exposure to light. This is usually indicated as a
numerical rating, from I (high lightfastness) to III or IV (low
lightfastness), on the paint tube or in the paint technical information
available from the manufacturer. Lightfastness is a crucial issue with
watercolors, because the paint pigment is not surrounded by a protective
dried binder (as in oil or acrylic paints) but is left exposed on the
surface of the paper. In the 19th century, watercolors acquired a market
reputation for relative impermanence that continues to suppress their
price today, and painters who admire this medium will make choices to
improve its market status: in fact, lightfast watercolor paints on
archival papers are more durable than any oil painting on canvas. The
most stable painting medium is pastel, but modern lightfast watercolors
are now more stable than oil or acrylic mediums. Unfortunately, paint
manufacturer lightfastness ratings are not always trustworthy. However,
because they have been demonstrated to be impermanent in watercolors,
certain pigments (paints) should never be used under any circumstances.
These include: aureolin (PY40), alizarin crimson (PR83), genuine rose
madder (NR9), genuine carmine (NR4), genuine vermilion (PR106), most
naphthol reds and oranges, all dyes (including most "liquid watercolors"
and marker pens), and paints premixed with a white pigment, including
paints marketed under the names naples yellow, emerald green or antwerp
blue. Most of these are colorants invented in the 19th century or before
that have been superseded by far more durable modern alternatives, and
these are usually sold as "hue" paints (e.g., "alizarin crimson hue" is a
modern pigment that resembles alizarin crimson). Industry labeling
practice is to include a lightfastness rating on the paint packaging,
and painters should only use paints that have a lightfastness rating of I
or II under the testing standards published the American Society of
Testing and Materials (now ASTM International)."
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Happy
painting, watercolor ambassadors! I'm planning to take a few workshops
myself during the next few months so that I can keep bringing you more
material. And, if you're on the road in my area, here's where you can
find me. I always welcome questions from onlookers at my plein air
events:
May 27 - 31, 2014
Mountain Maryland Plein Air 2014
Thirty selected artists from across the
country will paint in and around Cumberland,Maryland.
July 13 - 19, 2014
Arts on the Green
Cashiers, NC
25 selected professional plein air artists from around the
country paint in the Village Green Park in the NC mountains.
October 9 - November 1, 2014
Black Rock Arts Center
A group exhibit of the Washington Society of Landscape Painters.
September 18 - 21, 2014
Piedmont Plein Aire Paint Out
30 selected plein air artists paint the High Point, NC area.
June - September, 2014
American Painting Fine Art
A Group Exhibit by the
Washington Society of Landscape Painters Exhibit
Catherine Hillis, VWS, BWS, MoWS, WCWS, PWS, SW, PVW.
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